In modern cities, more and more attention is being paid to creating beautiful lighting for buildings and structures. Decorative design not only increases the positive mood of residents and guests of megacities, but also enhances the overall aesthetics of various architectural complexes. When creating such a backlight, street lamps of various types can be used. Each of these varieties has both its advantages and disadvantages.
Main types of street lamps
Equipment of this type can be installed next to the building or attached directly to its walls or various architectural elements. Currently, architectural luminaires are used to illuminate shops, office buildings, historical and social monuments:
- fluorescent;
- metal halide;
- neon;
- LED.
Light all these varieties can give both ordinary white and color. Actually, the design of such a decorative design is being developedexperts, taking into account the combination of different shades, as well as illuminated and shaded areas.
Fluorescent fixtures
This type of equipment is usually used to decorate high-rise buildings. With it, you can highlight significant architectural elements and create beautiful patterns. Luminescent architectural lamps are very economical, however, they are rarely used for decorating low buildings and structures. The fact is that from the point of view of designers, in this case, the design does not look particularly attractive.
Consumer opinions about gas discharge lamps
In addition to cost-effectiveness, fluorescent architectural street lamps deserve good reviews for:
- high luminous efficiency;
- long service life;
- soft, non-dazzling, attractive light;
- various lighting colors.
Among the disadvantages of this equipment, consumers primarily distinguish rather large dimensions and complexity of connection. Also, the disadvantages of gas-discharge lamps include dependence on the environment. The optimum temperature for fluorescent lamps is +18 - +25 degrees. At the slightest deviation from these parameters, the light output of the lamps of this type decreases. Of course, when using outdoors, you have to take additional measures to ensure the performance of the equipment, which leads to an increase in its cost.
Metal halide spotlights
Such architectural street lamps are most often used to illuminate large buildings with wide facades. Install spotlights in close proximity to them. Outdoor equipment of this type usually has movable lamps. Thanks to this, the light beam can be directed to any desired point in the building. Sometimes hemispherical reflectors are installed on such lamps. This allows you to design narrow architectural details of the facades. But most often rectangular reflectors are used. With their use, you can create a uniform illumination of the entire building as a whole.
Reviews on spotlights
This type of luminaire is valued primarily for its low power consumption and complete protection from the environment. This type of equipment is inexpensive to operate. At the same time, with its use, truly spectacular architectural lighting can be arranged. Metal halide lamps are also valued for the following advantages:
- Very long service life. Even by the end of their operation, the power of their illumination is reduced by only 1-2%.
- Purity of colors.
The disadvantage of this type of equipment is that it heats up rather quickly. The ability to use for lighting mainly only stand-alone objects, even very large ones, is also considered a minus of spotlights.
Neon lights
When using thisequipment can create a very complex building design. The light of neon lamps gives the buildings a soft, eye-pleasing glow and perfectly highlights the friezes. Most often, this type of design is used, however, not for decorating the buildings themselves, but for highlighting and emphasizing various kinds of advertising elements - inscriptions, patterns, drawings, logos. Architectural fixtures of this variety are flexible, and therefore, even when performing the most complex curls, they do not break.
Neon Reviews
The advantages of this type of backlight include, first of all, ease of installation. High frequencies are not needed for the operation of neon equipment. Lamps for architectural lighting of this type can function in absolutely any conditions. That is, even on the hottest summer night or on a cold winter night, they will not let you down and will continue to illuminate a poster or a building.
Also, the pluses of neon lamps include the fact that they give a very uniform light, which even the ultra-popular modern LED lamps cannot boast of. In terms of shape and length, these tapes are completely unlimited. In addition, they are completely fireproof. Neon lights do not heat up and can last up to 15 years.
The disadvantages of this type of equipment, the owners of shops and offices consider the high cost of maintenance. Neon tubes break quite rarely. However, in the event that at least one element fails, the entire design will most likely have to be changed.fully. In addition, the use of this type of luminaires for decorating the entire building may not be economically justified. They consume quite a lot of electricity. Also, using neon ribbons, it is often impossible to highlight very small elements of the poster.
LED equipment
Architectural fixtures of this type are by far the most popular type. Most often they are used to highlight various kinds of geometric elements of buildings. They are also used to decorate fountains, flower beds, trees and advertising signs. Such lighting can be seen in parks, courtyards, parking lots, airports, etc.
Reviews on LEDs
First of all, consumers attribute complete environmental friendliness to the advantages of this type of equipment. LEDs do not contain mercury or any other substances harmful to human he alth. Also, the advantages of this equipment include efficiency and the uniform illumination they give. In addition, a solid construction is considered an advantage of such equipment.
The disadvantage of architectural LED lamps has only one - the high cost. In order not to throw money away, customers of this type of illuminated advertising have to look for the most reliable suppliers.
